Some people prefer to go out on top, or near the top of their game. Like Elway. He could have kept playing, and the Broncos sure wouldn't have asked him to leave. But he went out on his terms. Brady has had a couple of opportunities to do that, but he's played himself into an old, average QB, who thinks he's good still good enough to rescue the Bucs, of all teams.

There's no way to know which one of these types of competitors Drew is, until we actually see how his career ends.

My gut feeling since before the start of this past season has been that 2020 will be his last year. But then he signed a two year contract. That switches up the thinking, but it doesn't necessarily mean he plays beyond next season. I think added weapons could incentivize him to play longer, provided he stays healthy. But that arm strength has significantly diminished, and if it keeps getting worse, I don't think he would want to limp to the finish line. If he stays where he is now, physically, I think the addition of Sanders, and maybe one more weapon who excels at getting open on intermediate routes would allow Brees to be effective for another couple of years.

That was not a choice that Elway made, his body said **** no as I said earlier. It wasn't a conscious "I am in my prime, time to watch instead of play"...

If he physically could have, he would have.
"I can't do it physically any more, and that's really hard for me to say." ~ John Elway

They don't hang up the cleats because they are on top.